Bhagat Singh - More than a Hero..

We always talk about Comical Superheroes like Bat-man ,Superman and dream to be one of them (having super powers,fighting with monstrous villains etc.-etc.).We basically admire them but by moving in this way , we are forgetting our Real SuperHeroes, who sacrificed their lives to see us Independent.Now, you might be thinking that a superhero without power is no Fun but Trust me, our Real Heroes too possessed some Powers but not like those of "comical heroes", they were immensely Brave and Gallant.They were full of enthusiasm and determination and they had a dream to see our country free from those Firangis (British) and they succeeded too.One of the youngest and bravest of them was Bhagat Singh.The Sacrifice which he gave for his country Requires a Brave heart which is very hard to find in a Normal 23 year old guy and that's why he was Special. So, lets check out the story of this Brave Lion Of India.

"One who dared on the rising sun which never set kissed the gallows to kindle the spirit of nationalism. Never was one like him."

As we all Know that Bhagat Singh was Born on 27 September, 1907 to Sardar Kishan Singh and Vidya Vati in a village named Banga in Layalpur Distict of Punjab. Kishan Singh's family was known for their Bravery and Love of Adventure. Many of their family members had fought to free india from the British,such fighters are known as Revolutionaries. Bhagat Singh was the third son of his parents.At the time of his Birth his Father Kishan Singh and his uncle Sawaran Singh were freed from the Jail.It was Observed that his another uncle Ajit Singh,too,would be freed.As the Birth Of a child brought Good Fortune to his family thus, the child was named "Bhagat Singh" which means "the fortunate".

Bhagat singh was a lovely child.His smile was cute as well as Charming.By seeing him people used to say that he would become very Famous.His mother's life had been full of sorrow right from the beginning.Always lurking in her mind was the fear that her husband might at any time be sent to Jail.Vidyavati herself had to look after the affairs of the family.At such anxious time,her children were her only comfort , why wouldn't they?.They were Intelligent and Brave and this forget her Misery.

Now,Bhagat singh was admitted to the Primary School.From his childhood he was highly anticipated in studies.He was ahead from others in his class. He had got Good Handwriting. He was the Favorite Student of his teachers.he was very much liked by his class- mates,he was their leader. His seniors used to carry him on their shoulders and drop him Home.His Childhood itself indicated that later on he would become a great Leader.

Bhagat singh was a Friend to all.His Companions were naturally his friends but cartman,coolies and the very man who swept the streets were also his friends.

Here's a story of Bhagat Singh calling an old tailor his friend.

Once clothes had to be stitched Bhagat Singh. The old tailors who stitched clothes delivered them at the house and went away. "Who is that who brought the clothes?" asked mother, Vidyavati.
"My friend," replied Bhagat Singh.

"What! Is the tailor, too, your friend?"

Vidyavati asked, surprised.

"Yes, every one in the village is my friend" was Bhagat Singh's reply.

Thus, the ability of winning the hearts of men grew right away from his childhood.

Following are some stories about the Bravery of Bhagat Singh.

When Ajit Singh came out of the jail, he left the country. Bhagat Singh's aunts would often recall their husbands' misery, and lament over it. Seeing this, Bhagat

Singh would bravely say, "Don't weep, aunt. When I grow up, I will drive out the British and bring back my uncle. I will take revenge upon the British who are the cause for my uncle's illness." On hearing the heroic words of the little boy, the weeping women would burst into laughter. At least for the moment they would forget their sorrow.

When he was in the fourth class, Bhagat Singh asked his classmates, "What do you wish to become when you grow up?"

Each boy gave a different answer. "I intend becoming a doctor," said one. Another said, "I will be a government officer." Still another would become a merchant; while another 'would marry'. Bhagat Singh remarked, "is marriage a big achievement? Anybody can marry. On the other hand, I will drive the British out of India."

Thus,patriotism flowed in his Veins from the Days of his Childhood.
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Bhagat was a village Boy.His father feared that he might lag behind in studies.So Managed to appoint a teacher to teach him at home.But within two days the teacher Saw how intelligent Bhagat Singh was."what i can teach to your child ? he has already learnt everything."said the teacher to bhagat singh's father.

Bhagat took his studies with great zeal.His teachers wondered at his intelligent.He scored good marks in subjects like History ,Geography and Arithmetic.But he had a bad score in English,Maybe Because he Don't like the British.His words in his letter to his Grandmother are really Snappy."My Score in English Is 68 of 150. A Score of 50 is enough for passing. Thus,i have Passed with Credit." That's how the clever boy stated his low score in a round about manner.

It was the year 1919. A very tragic event happened in India that year.British soldiers opened fire on a gathering in Jallianwala Bagh, and kept up the fire for quite some time. There was no way of escape for the innocent people. Countless persons -grown-up men, women and little children -fell down dead. Blood flowed like a stream. The event caused terror and anger in the minds of people all over the country. The tragedy drew the attention of the entire world.

Bhagat Singh was then twelve years old; his mind was deeply disturbed by this event. The next day he did not return home after the school hours. His people at home waited and waited and grew anxious..Instead of going to school, Bhagat Singh went straight to the place of the tragedy. Somehow managing to push through the police on guard, he went in. He collected a bottle of mud wet with the blood of Indians and returned home. Seeing that he was late, his younger sister said, "Where were you all this time? Mother has been waiting to give you something to eat." But Bhagat Singh was not at all thinking of food. Showing the bottle in his hand, he said, "Look here. This is the blood of ourpeople killed by the British. Salute this."

Then he put the bottle in a niche a worshiped it with flowers.

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In 1923, Singh joined the National College in Lahore, which was started by Lala Lajpat Rai. During his college time, he was also involved in extra-curricular activities.

He was a great actor in college time and acted in several plays like Rana Pratap, Samrat Chandragupta and Bharat Durdasha. During the independence movement, Singh, had for some time been exploiting the power of drama as a means to inspire revolt against the British, purchasing a magic lantern to show slides that enlivened his talks about revolutionaries who had died as a result of the Kakori Conspiracy, such as Ram Prasad Bismil. In 1929, he proposed a dramatic act to the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA) with the intention of gaining massive publicity for their aims

A rare historical photograph of students and staff of National College, Lahore, which was started by Lala Lajpat Rai. Singh can be seen standing fourth from the right.

At college, Bhagat Singh took part in several plays.A teacher who saw him in the leading roles in 'RanaPratap', 'Samrat Chandragupta' and 'Bharata-durdasha' remarked, "This boy will become a great man."
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After Mahatma Gandhi called off the non-cooperation movement, Singh became disillusioned with Gandhi's philosophy of non-violence. Gandhi's decision followed the violent murders of policemen by villagers who were reacting to the police killing three villagers in the 1922 Chauri Chaura incident. Singh joined the Young Revolutionary Movement and began to advocate for the violent overthrow of the British in India.

Singh began to question religious ideologies after witnessing the Hindu-Muslim riots that broke out after Gandhi disbanded the Non-Cooperation Movement. He did not understand how members of these two groups, initially united in fighting against the British, could be at each other's throats because of their religious differences. At this point, Singh dropped his religious beliefs, since he believed religion hindered the revolutionaries' struggle for independence, and began studying the works of Bakunin, Lenin, Trotsky - all atheist revolutionaries. Singh also wrote an essay titled 'Why I am an Atheist' in 1930 in Lahore Central Jail.

To avoid getting married by his family, Singh ran away from his house to Cawnpore. In a letter he left behind, he stated:

"The aim of my life is to fight for India's freedom. I don't wish for worldly pleasures. At the time of my Upanayanam (the initiation ceremony among the Hindus), my uncle had taken a sacred promise from me; I promised to sacrifice myself for the sake of the country. Accordingly I am now giving up my own happiness and going out to serve the country."

Bhagat Singh was a fountain of zeal. His village was too small for his activities. He went to Lahore. There a union of revolutionaries by name 'Naujavan Bharat Sabha' was founded. Bhagat Singh became the Secretary.

Within a few days, it started branches in different places. The celebration of the birthdays of revolutionaries became an important part of the program of the union. The members would take out pictures of revolutionaries, decorated with Khadi garlands, in processions. They would cut their fingers and put a mark of blood on the foreheads of the heroes in thepictures. They would lecture about them. It was in these days that Bhagat Singh gained good practice in public speaking. Within a few days he became a good speaker. He got into touch with the students' unions of colleges. He spread the message of revolution everywhere.

By this time, Bhagat Singh had caught the eye of the police. His movements were carefully watched by spies.

Once, as he was just leaving the train at Amritsar, the spies followed Bhagat Singh. Trying to escape from them, he began to fun. But where ever he went he could not escape. At last he rushed into a lawyer's house and escaped from the police. Then he traveled to Lahore. When the train reached Lahore, he was caught by the police and pushed into the Lahore Fort Jail.

Bhagat Singh did not know why he was arrested. A few days earlier some rogues had thrown a bomb on procession during the Dussara Festival.It killed some people. The police suspected the hand of revolutionaries in it. That was why they arrested Bhagat Singh and pushed him into jail. To find out the secrets of other revolutionaries, they tortured him in many ways. They flogged him with a knot and gored with a spear. But Bhagat Singh did not open his mouth.

Finally, a Magistrate decided that Bhagat Singh could be released only on a bail of sixty thousand rupees who would be prepared to bear such a responsibility? Yet, out of sheer affection for Bhagat Singh, two rich persons came forward. They were Duneechand and Daulatram. On their surety, Bhagat Singh was set free.

If Bhagat Singh participated inrevolutionary activities during the period of bail, the two wealthy men would have to pay sixty thousand rupees to the Government. Bhagat Singh did not wish that others should be troubled on his account. That was why he decided to keep quiet during the period of bail. At this time his father built a cowshed in his native place, so that Bhagat Singh could run a small diary. Bhagat Singh took up that work in earnest.

Every day he got up at four. Then he fed the cows, removed the cowdung and cleaned the shed. Next he milked the cows and sold the milk. It was all systematic, and tidily done. Whatever he undertook Bhagat Singh did a good job.

The entire day he was busy with his dairy, but the night brought thoughts ofrevolution. He joined his friends for discussions. At the same time, he got into touch with the newspapers, 'Kirtee' and 'Akalee'. He wrote articles for them. A journal brought out a special issue to honor fighters who had been hanged; Bhagat Singh himself introduced some of the revolutionaries.

The Dussara Bomb case involving Bhagat Singh was still going on. ' At last he was released. He was not even on bail. At once Bhagat Singh closed the milk center. He returned to work for the revolution. After
attending a meeting of revolutionaries in Delhi in 1928, he never returned home.

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In Delhi, Chandrasekhar Azad, a young revolutionary, was introduced to Bhagat Singh. It was as if fire and wind were united. The activities of the revolutionaries gained new strength. Bhagat Singh removed his beard and had a closer crop, so that the police might not recognize him. All these days he had been a hero of the Sikhs; he now became a national hero.

In April 1929, the Central Legislative Assembly met in Delhi. The British Government wanted to place before the Assembly two bills which were likely to harm the country's interests. Even if the Assembly rejected them, the Viceroy could use his special powers and approve them, and they would become laws. The Hindustan Samajvadi Prajatantra Sena (The Indian Socialist Republican Army) decided to resist the move.

Of course, the revolutionaries escaped after Saunders' murder. But the people of Lahore were subjected to torture by the police. The Sena decided that such a thing should not happen again. The revolu- tionaries must oppose the British and court arrest. They must see that the objects of the Prajatantra Sena were explained to the people all over the country. With this object in view, the Sena resolved to send Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt to Delhi. Both of them were to go there, throw a bomb in the Legislative Assembly and, get arrested. For this purpose two harm- less bombs were made.

On the 8th of April 1929 the two men took the bombs and entered the Assembly Hall. They sat in the visitors' gallery.The session commenced. The bills were placed before the Assembly by the Government. The members rejected them. In the end, a member of the Government began an announcement that the Viceroy had exercised his special powers. At once, a bomb fell from, above and exploded causing a fearful sound. Immediately another bomb fell. There were sounds of shooting, too. The entire hall was filled with smoke. People ran helter skelter. Some were so frightened that they fell down unconscious. By that time, red pamphlets fell from the visitors' gallery. In them, particulars of Prajatantra Sena (the Republican Army) were given and the Government was condemned. The Hall was filled with the slogan, 'Long Live Revolution!'

The police rushed to the spot. Only Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt were there. They were holding pistols. Afraid of them, the police moved back. But both threw down their pistols and got them hand- cuffed.

The bombs thrown into the Assembly Hall killed no one.Four or five persons received very minor injuries; that was all.

It was not the revolutionaries' object to kill any body. The incident drew the attention of the entire world. The Kranti Dal's name became a household word. The British Government trembled
The trial of the accused commenced. In those days political prisoners were not treated properly in the jail. They were not given proper food. They were made to suffer in every possible way. Bhagat Singh and his companions decided to fight against the wretched conditions. Bhagat Singh was sure of being hanged. But he thought at least the other political. Prisoners could benefit. All the revolu- tionaries went on fast. They fasted for two months. Then the Government said it would consider their demands. Some gave up the fast. But Jatin Das did not. He did not listen to anybody. On the 64th day of his fast, he died. Bhagat Singh fasted for thirty-two days thereafter.

The trial of Bhagat Singh and hiscompanions began; it drew the attention of the whole world. The court was heavily guarded by the police. No spectators were allowed inside the court. The prisoners were brought to the court in chains. They used to shout "Inquilaab Zindabad"(Long Live Revolution) and only then enter the court hall.

Bhagat Singh and BatukeshwarDutt stated, "If the deaf are to hear, the sound has to be very loud. When we dropped thebomb, it was not our intention to kill anybody. We have bombed the British Government. The
British must quit India and make her free." They also explained the objects of their association. The whole world came to understand their aim and activitiesbecause of the press reports.

Finally, Judgement was given.Bhagat Singh,Sukhdev,Rajguru were to be hanged;some were to go life imprisonment;some were to kept in jail for 5 years,some for 7 and some for 10.

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Bhagat Singh was to be hanged! When the news spread, the people all over the country were mad with rage. Thousands of appeals were sent to the Government, pleading that he should be saved. Several leaders of public life joined in the appeal. But all attempts failed. It was decided to hang them on the 24th of March 1931. Even the members of the prisoners' families were hot allowed to meet them. Moreover, Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru were hanged a day before the appointed day, that is, on March 23rd.

Even on the day of their hanging they were fearless. They were cheerful. They com- peted with one another to be hanged first. It was decided that first Sukhdev would be hanged and then Bhagat Singh and finally Rajguru. All the three climbed the platform. Kissing the rope, they themselves put it round their neck. They died with the name of Bharat Mata on their lips. Such was the end of the three champions of freedom.

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All over the country tributes were paid to the heroes who fought for freedom and sacrificed their lives.Hundreds of songs were composed and sung about the martyrdom of Bhagat Singh. Even today, the heroic spirit of Bhagat Singh is an unfailing source of inspiration to the youth of the country. His courage, spirit of adventure and patriotism are an example to one and all.

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So , this is how the Chapter Of our Superhero Came to an End But he is still the True symbol of Heroism of the Youth Of India.